Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu, it’s a myth, a myth so old that many of today’s anime enthusiasts wouldn’t dare watch it. People on this site rate this anime so immensely high, that one would eventually come to wonder what that ridiculous score is based on, and give the whole thing a try. Are these people merely the retainers of old, classic shows that have been made in a style that has long since come to an end? I sincerely believe that it’s more than that.
To make one thing very clear, this anime was made before I was born, so if I am biased in any way, it would be towards modern anime, whose style is more of my cup of tea. Still, Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu was fascinating, in a way that no modern anime is. Beware though, I have rated this show high from a very objective perspective, my personal enjoyment factor was not as high as my overall rating and if you’re a fan of modern animation, you might have a hard time getting used to or enjoy the series. You may not be suited to sit through the meticulously fleshed out dialogues, as well as philosophical, ethical and political discussions presented here, that is alright. What I think though is, even if you don’t like it, you can’t deny this works greatness.
Story: 10/10
History is a thing long in the past for us but something that was very present to people of the corresponding era, something that moved their hearts and lives, changed the direction in which humanity developed in a way that we may not be able to comprehend today. Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu is like that, it’s like witnessing history happening live. The anime does nothing out of the ordinary, no supernatural occurrences or absurd plottwists to keep the viewer hooked; instead it progresses slowly into a more or less foreseeable direction, still managing to show some surprising developments, that are all still in the viewer’s theoretically calculable range of anticipation. That said, it should also be mentioned that things only just start picking up pace past episode 30 or so, so you might need to bring some patience. Everything about the plot and world of Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu is so painstakingly accurate in its construction, that I have yet to find some logical fault within any of the presented material. Think people bear those incredibly German names because they thought it was fun? There’s a reason for that. Think they use battle axes in close combat because they thought it was cool? There’s a reason for that too. I have never before seen an anime that was so well planned and executed, with a pacing that matches its progression as well as it does. Sometimes it’s slow and conversations drag on for a very long time but that is also a characteristic of the time it was made in, people didn’t mind not having things explode in each and every episode.
Art: 10/10
Now, get this. This anime, made in 1988, displays better visuals then some modern anime. Don’t believe me? I didn’t believe it myself at first either. What we have here is an OVA of 110 episodes, with 24-30 episodes released at once in four periods over the course of ten years. What does that mean now? It means time, a lot of time. Enough to, with the limited possibilities of that time, polish the animations to a degree that can rival works of the current era. Expressive facials and movements, detailed surroundings as well as fluent animations are characteristic for this anime. The art style may come over as a bit westernized but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Sound: 10/10
Actually, I don’t know how to rate the OST at all. It includes many classical, orchestrated pieces, some of which are well known, now is that really bad or really good for a 1988’s anime? I’ll just go ahead and rate in favor of the anime, partly because the style of music fits the widely royal and dignified atmosphere, which is especially apparent in episodes involving the Galactic Empire. The seiyuu however are definitely top notch, even more than that, I daresay they are legendary. Some of them even have active and important voice acting roles in modern animation, such as Vegeta (Dragonball Z/ GT/ Kai), Kotomine Kirei (Fate Series), Tohsaka Tokiomi (Fate/ Zero), Hatake Kakashi (Naruto), Jiraiya (Naruto) or Matsudaira Katakuriko (Gintama), and these are only the ones I recognized. Even back then their performance was admirable and deserves a lot of respect.
Characters: 10/10
Those are people, characters like real people with relatable emotions and developments, and all of them are unique individuals. Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu has a main cast of such epic proportions, that even random passersby on the street are blessed with distinct facial features of their own. While, at least from a certain point of the series on, it is clear who the protagonists are, other people around them have names, stories, thoughts and commit to actions of their own. Those people, even if they are only meant to appear but once on screen, have a real impact on the direction in which history goes. Characters exist in a broader historic context, a span of time that far exceeds the timeline depicted in the anime itself, no one person is without fault, immortal or inviolable and everyone and everything leaves the impression, that it must come to an end someday. None of the progressions are rushed or forced and always stay in realistic bounds, a character only ever shows extreme behavior if the situation demands it, or if he is likely to do so because of his personality traits.
Enjoyment: 8/10
This is difficult, mostly due to the fact that I believe that watching this anime while being skilled in understanding the Japanese language would reap different results. It sometimes gets mentally exhausting, reading through the subtitles of each and every dialogue and a great battle might come as a breath of fresh air in this partially stale environment. Nevertheless, there is also a great deal of suspense, action and even romance to be found in Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu, if one listens or reads as attentive as I have been doing it, one might crack a smile or even laugh at a few scenes, although it’s not meant to be a comedy anime in general. This anime has everything, every single thing out there, it just may demand a bit of endurance from its viewer to reveal this large spectrum of entertainment.
Result: 10/10
This might be… the best anime; maybe. I’m not being an elitist here; I just think that Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu is so well done as a whole, that it would deserve that title. A single man should not be so audacious as to crown a Kaiser of Anime though. I rated this show a ten, I did it because I think no other rating would be appropriate. Even by taking into account that my Enjoyment wasn’t quite that high because I am just not used to anime this old, I can reach no other conclusion.
That said, even bearing this disadvantage, Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu has fascinated me on a completely different level than many other anime and it might just fascinate you in the same way.
I for one salute before one of the greatest animated works ever created.
